Nyamahunge lands gold in 200m race at World Games in Abu Dhabi

Abu dhabui. Uganda’s running sensation Jacent Nyamahunge won the first gold medal for Team Uganda during Saturday’s 200m race at Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019.
The 21-year-old UCU student was the first across the finish line in the women’s 200m run held at Dubai Police Stadium in 24.76 beating her closest challenger Mayak Kimura of Japan by more than four seconds in a lopsided race. South Africa’s Johannah Mogale was third after 28.62.
Nyamahunge, a double gold medallist in the 100 and 200m races from the 2015 Special Olympics, was slower than her 24.0 time she set in Los Angeles but was elated with her performance. She put her victory down to good tactics from her coach Bashir Sekandi and good preparations.
“I always have trouble getting off the blocks but obviously today was really good,” said Nyamahunge. “It was good work from the coach.”
Nyamahunge, an orphan whose mother Anna Mary Kyalisiima, was chased out of her matrimonial home by relatives after the passing on of her father, credits Special Olympics for changing her life forever.
She will be in action later today in the 100m race at the Police Stadium in Dubai as she chases a double.

Feni scoops silver
But it was an action-packed day for the swimmers. The 16-year-old Larry Feni scooped silver in his M17 division behind Ecuador’s Miguel Parraga. The Ugandan swimmer completed the 50m freestyle event in 31.58 seconds almost two seconds slower than Parraga who took 30.07 seconds. Elizabeth Nicole, who was initially worried of fitter competitors as she was swimming in an Olympic-size swimming pool for the first time, was third in her F09 division scooping bronze.
She has been training in a pool in her aunt’s neighbourhood in Ntinda since choosing to swim the breaststroke and freestyle a few weeks to the Games.